1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hand controls and more particularly pertains to a new portable hand control system for operating an accelerator and brake pedal of a vehicle by hand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of hand controls is known in the prior art. More specifically, hand controls heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,442; U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,312; U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,688; U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,723; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 364,839; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,879.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new portable hand control system. The inventive device includes an accelerator control rod that is releaseably couplable to the accelerator pedal of the vehicle and a brake control rod that is releaseably couplable to the brake of the vehicle. A thumb control is mounted on the accelerator control rod for selectively receiving a thumb of a user controlling the accelerator control rod. A handle is mounted the brake control rod selectively receiving a hand of a user controlling the brake control rod. A coupling member is mounted on the brake control rod for operationally coupling the accelerator control rod to the brake control rod. A quick release coupling system is provided for coupling the accelerator control rod to the accelerator pedal of the vehicle and for coupling the brake control rod to the brake pedal of the vehicle.
In these respects, the portable hand control system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of operating an accelerator and brake pedal of a vehicle by hand.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of hand controls now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new portable hand control system construction wherein the same can be utilized for operating an accelerator and brake pedal of a vehicle by hand.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new portable hand control system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the hand controls mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new portable hand control system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art hand controls, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises an accelerator control rod that is releaseably couplable to the accelerator pedal of the vehicle and a brake control rod that is releaseably couplable to the brake of the vehicle. A thumb control is mounted on the accelerator control rod for selectively receiving a thumb of a user controlling the accelerator control rod. A handle is mounted the brake control rod selectively receiving a hand of a user controlling the brake control rod. A coupling member is mounted on the brake control rod for operationally coupling the accelerator control rod to the brake control rod. A quick release coupling system is provided for coupling the accelerator control rod to the accelerator pedal of the vehicle and for coupling the brake control rod to the brake pedal of the vehicle.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new portable hand control system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the hand controls mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new portable hand control system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art hand controls, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new portable hand control system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new portable hand control system which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new portable hand control system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such portable hand control system economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable hand control system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable hand control system for operating an accelerator and brake pedal of a vehicle by hand.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable hand control system which includes an accelerator control rod that is releaseably couplable to the accelerator pedal of the vehicle and a brake control rod that is releaseably couplable to the brake of the vehicle. A thumb control is mounted on the accelerator control rod for selectively receiving a thumb of a user controlling the accelerator control rod. A handle is mounted the brake control rod selectively receiving a hand of a user controlling the brake control rod. A coupling member is mounted on the brake control rod for operationally coupling the accelerator control rod to the brake control rod. A quick release coupling system is provided for coupling the accelerator control rod to the accelerator pedal of the vehicle and for coupling the brake control rod to the brake pedal of the vehicle.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable hand control system that, unlike the prior art which is time consuming to place hand controls in a vehicle, that employs a quick coupling assembly that allows it to be quickly and easily transportable between different vehicles.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new portable hand control system that aids users with physically disabled or temporarily injured legs to operate a vehicle.